Lost and Found
by sevanderslice
Summary: What can save the Doctor, when he doesn't want to be saved? An AU, Post-Doomsday Reunion fic, from Jack's point of view. - Written for challenge 1.07 at doctor rose las on livejournal.


**Author's Note:** This was originally my entry for challenge 1.07 at **doctorroselas** on livejournal. I won this challenge and in so doing won the whole round. Yay! The prompt was to write an AU Doctor/Rose reunion fic that included absolutely NO spoilers for series 4. Since the rules state there can only be a maximum of 1000 words, this proved to be quite difficult. I had to cut my favorite scene, which was when Jack saw Rose for the first time. I added it back in before posting it here.

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**Lost and Found**

Jack's protective instincts went into overdrive as the alarm's ominous wailing started echoing down the corridor. Adrenaline pumping through his bloodstream, he flung the two cups of stale coffee he'd just commandeered to the floor and took off in a run. Sailing down the sterile white hall, he used his long legs to dodge strange hospital equipment and a plethora of UNIT employees in matching lab coats.

Rounding a corner, he stopped just short of entering the room, unwilling to disturb the frenzied rush of activity inside. UNIT's most elite medical staff ran around issuing and following orders, filling syringes and charging equipment designed from stolen alien technology. The ex-time agent would have been impressed, if all his attention hadn't been focused on the frail and fragile man lying so still in the bed. Jack flinched along with him as two electronic panels were placed on his friend's bare chest and activated. This just shouldn't be happening

Jack had been the first to find him, laying broken and bleeding in a crumpled heap only minutes from the Torchwood hub. The truth had been easy to determine; the Doctor had saved the world again and this time the only casualty had been himself. They hadn't even known there was a threat until it was too late.

A quick call to Martha Jones and Jack had been accompanying both her and the unconscious Time Lord to UNIT's main headquarters in London. That had been a week ago and so far there'd been no change in the Doctor's condition, at least not for the better

A terrifying silence surrounded him as the alarm suddenly shut off. Jack barged into the hospital room in a flash, his heart only relaxing out of his throat when he saw the Doctor's chest was still gently rising and falling with each labored breath he took

Leaning against one white wall, he waited for the room to slowly empty itself. Martha stood by the Doctor's bed staring down at his too-still form. She managed to maintain an air of stoic professionalism until the last member of her staff walked through the door.

"Jack." She said his name in a broken sob as he embraced her. "His hearts stopped."

"Shhh," he tried to soothe her, holding her close, but he felt like crying too.

"We managed to get one of them started again, but he's just not…" She let the words trail off, swallowing convulsively as if to gain back some control. "According to our records this coma should be healing him, but it isn't. And he's not showing any signs of regeneration. We just don't know what else to do."

"It's not your fault."

"I think it is." Martha pulled back, letting Jack see the full range of grief playing over her features. "It's like he doesn't _want _to get better. We both know that's possible." Jack shuddered at the still too recent memory of the Master choosing to die in the Doctor's arms rather than regenerate. "Oh god Jack, I never should have left him all alone."

Jack felt an intense wave of remorse envelop him. He was just as guilty of that as she. How long had it been this time? How long had he been fighting the monsters by himself, both the physical ones and the ones inside his own soul? "What can I do?"

Martha just shook her head against the lapels of his gray military coat. "Nothing, we need a miracle."

As if on cue Jack's mobile buzzed in his pocket, startling them both. He read the text message three times to make sure he wasn't dreaming, before letting his lips spread into a wide grin.

Martha wiped the tears out of her eyes just in time to see Jack sprinting down the hall. "What is it?" she called after him."

"A miracle!"

A few moments later Jack was rushing outside just as a black limousine pulled up to the base. The doors opened and in a blur of denim, khaki, and blond hair, Rose Tyler was in his arms. He clung to her, spinning her around and around as they both laughed and cried with glee. "Captain Jack Harkness," she said, once he'd set her back on her feet, "never expected to see you again."

Cupping her face in his hands Jack smiled down at her. "I know honey and I'm going to tell you the longest of stories, but right now I need to come with me."

"Do you know how to find him?" Rose's voice cracked just a bit, her eyes pleading and desperate.

"No." He told her, "but I'm counting on the fact that you do."

Less than ten minutes later, Jack stood hand in hand with Martha Jones, watching a scene unfold before them that he'd never have thought possible.

"We call them The Travelers," Rose told the Doctor from her place beside his bed. "They live between the universes, in the void. I know what you're going to say," she continued, flashing a grin, "That that's impossible, but it isn't. They float from one world to the next, peaceful as you please, just wanting to learn, to explore. Mickey calls them inter-dimensional jellyfish," she laughed, "but really they're incredibly brilliant. They helped us learn about their biological makeup so we could adapt it to work for us. I can travel between worlds without causing so much as a ripple now. Course, it took me a while to find the right one."

Jack's heart ached at the thought of this incredible girl going from universe to universe just to get back to her Doctor. He watched as she kissed his fingers and rubbed her cheek against his palm.

"I can teach you to do it," she said hopefully, her voice beginning to break. "We can travel the stars and then be home in time for tea. Mum has a great big piece of shepherd's pie all ready with your name on it, but you have to do something for me first." She took a deep shuddering breath. "You have to wake up. Don't leave me alone now that I've finally found my way back. Don't make me live without you anymore." Jack felt his eyes burn with unshed tears as she leaned forward to whisper in the Doctor's ear. "Help me."

Joy and relief rushed through Jack as the Doctor's second heart monitor started beeping with gusto. Martha pushed past him, but he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Just wait a second."

The Doctor's eyes opened slowly, their brown depths rimmed with red, but clearly focused on the girl sitting next to him. Rose leaned down to caress his cheek and Jack watched, mesmerized as he moved ever so slightly into her touch. Incredibly, as pale and weak as he looked, the Doctor's smile was all brilliance. "What took you so long?"

Rose let out a half-sob, half-laugh. "I got a bit lost for a while."

A single tear rolled down the Doctor's pale cheek, but his smile stayed bright. "Me too," he answered her, "but not anymore."


End file.
